Serving God: Strength, Sacrifice, and Blessings
Summary
In this sermon, I emphasized the importance of serving God from His strength, not our own. I highlighted the biblical model of Sabbath and the need for rest in His presence. I also discussed the concept of counting the cost of our actions, using a story of a woman who didn't consider the consequences of her actions. I encouraged the congregation to be ready to make sacrifices to fulfill God's calling on their lives. I also stressed that we are blessed to be a blessing to others, and that we should use our blessings to glorify God and help others. Lastly, I urged everyone to consider what God has called them to do and to say yes to His calling, regardless of how impossible it may seem.
Key Takeaways:
- We should serve God from His strength, not our own, and prioritize rest in His presence. [ 01:05:46]
- We need to count the cost of our actions and be ready to make sacrifices to fulfill God's calling. [ 01:07:17]
- We are blessed to be a blessing to others, and we should use our blessings to glorify God and help others. [ 01:16:06]
- We should consider what God has called us to do and say yes to His calling, regardless of how impossible it may seem. [ 01:19:36]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 11:25 #!!01:06:30!!#
2. John 15 #!!01:07:17!!#
3. Genesis 11:31-12:3 #!!55:23!!#
Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus mean when he says "come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest" in Matthew 11:25?
2. What does it mean to "abide in him" as mentioned in John 15?
3. What was the leap of faith that Abram had to take in Genesis 11:31-12:3?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Jesus provide rest for those who are weary and heavy laden?
2. What does it look like in practical terms to abide in Jesus as per John 15?
3. What can we learn from Abram's leap of faith in Genesis 11:31-12:3?
Application Questions:
1. Can you recall a time when you felt weary and heavy laden? How can you apply Jesus' invitation to find rest in him in such situations?
2. What is one way you can practice abiding in Jesus this week?
3. Can you think of a situation in your life where you need to take a leap of faith like Abram? What is holding you back and how can you overcome it?
Devotional
Day 1: Working in God's Strength
We often find ourselves serving and working for God to the point of exhaustion, forgetting that we are called to work out of His strength, not our own. It's crucial to prioritize resting in His presence, following the biblical model of Sabbath. Jesus invites us to come to Him when we are weary and burdened, promising to give us rest. His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and we must remember to continually return to Him for strength ([01:05:46]).
Isaiah 40:29 - "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent time when you felt exhausted from serving. How can you better rely on God's strength in these moments?
Day 2: Counting the Cost
We are called to count the cost of our actions and decisions. This involves considering the potential consequences and sacrifices required before making a decision. It's important to remember that God's call on our lives often involves sacrifice, but He is faithful to provide and guide us through these times ([01:07:17]).
Luke 14:28 - "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?"
Reflection: What is a decision you're currently facing? Have you counted the cost and considered the potential sacrifices involved?
Day 3: Saying Yes to God's Call
God calls us to various tasks and missions in our lives. It's our responsibility to say yes to His call, trusting in His promises and guidance. This often requires boldness and resolve, but we can be confident in His faithfulness and provision ([01:21:16]).
Isaiah 6:8 - "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"
Reflection: What is God calling you to do right now? How can you boldly say yes to His call?
Day 4: Sacrifice for God's Calling
God's calling on our lives often requires sacrifice. This could mean giving up comfort, convenience, or personal desires to step into the calling God has for us. However, God is faithful and will provide for us as we step out in obedience ([01:14:38]).
Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
Reflection: What sacrifices might God be asking you to make to step into His calling for your life?
Day 5: Blessed to Be a Blessing
God blesses us not just for our own benefit, but so that we can be a blessing to others. As descendants of Abraham, we are part of the fulfillment of God's promise to bless all families on Earth. We are called to share these blessings with others, not hoard them for ourselves ([01:16:06]).
Genesis 12:2 - "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing."
Reflection: How can you use the blessings God has given you to bless others this week?
Quotes
1. "God has gifted us, God has talented us, God has provided so much for us. As we take time to allow the Holy Spirit to show things that he's been faithful, we need to remember that we are called and blessed to be a blessing. There is a world that is hurting that needs Jesus and God is waiting for you to answer the call so that way they can be reached with the gospel." - 01:17:48
2. "As we work for God, we need to work out of his strength not our own. A lot of times we neglect that time of building our strength in his presence of making that a priority to rest in his presence. He doesn't want you to work on your own strength because he has all the strength we need and we're called to follow him but we need to remember we always have to go back to him." - 01:05:35
3. "God is calling our family of five to move out of our three bed two bath rental home and to move into a two-bed one-bath apartment. He was calling us to get some skin in the game to sacrifice so that way we could be ready to step into the calling God had on our lives. God will call you to make sacrifices in order to fulfill the calling that he has on your life." - 01:14:30
4. "God right now I pray for those of us God hear that want to say yes to you God we want to say yes to whatever you have for us yet I pray that you would speak right now God just give us the strength give us the boldness God I pray bring back to memory the promises that you have made and we know that in you Jesus your promises are yes and amen." - 01:20:49
5. "God has not called us to hoard those blessings. God has called and blessed us to be a blessing. I want you to say this say I'm blessed do you believe that we are blessed but we're blessed to be a blessing." - 01:14:30
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